Five wins & a near-miss for Champion Mullins Bacardys completed an excellent day's work for Team Mullins when winning the concluding Donohue Marquees Bumper at Leopardstown today, their fifth winner in a star-studded day of wins and one epic near-miss. Trainer Willie Mullins was at Kempton to see his Faugheen win the Christmas Hurdle before Vautour narrowly lost out to Cue Card in a memorable King George. In Dublin, the Champion Trainer recorded a four-timer and while Jonathan Burke steered Apple's Jade, Patrick Mullins steered the remaining three winners A Toi Phil, Douvan and Bumper winner Bacardys. Afterwards jockey Mullins stated “that's my first treble; (to ride) a hurdle winner, my first Grade 1 over fences and the bumper, things can only go downhill from here! "He was green, and when Jamie's (Codd, on runner-up Grotesque) horse got ahead of me he leaned in on me a bit. With a clear run I think he would have won easier but he was tough. Linda Masterson deserved a lot of credit as she looks after him, and also looks after Don Poli. "He could be a Cheltenham bumper horse, and I think he will be better on better ground." He added to the Douvan win, "I would like to thank Rich (Ricci) for letting me ride Douvan. It was a great vote of confidence. Gail Carlisle does a lot of work after-hours with Douvan, and he has come on well from his previous run at Navan." Mullins did pick up a two-day ban for excessive use of the whip in the bumper, and Jamie Codd received a one day suspension for careless riding on Grotesque. By Tom Weekes, quotes from Alan Magee
